The True Nature Of The Force
by Dark.Adain
Summary: ESB AU. Rating K  for safety. After Yoda refuses to train him, Luke, confused and angry, arrives at Bespin after his friends, unknown to him that they are walking into Vader's Trap. But, when they meet face to face, it isn't as he thought it would be...


So, this is an idea I got when thinking about if Luke had reacted to what Yoda said on Dagobah and if, he had decided he couldn't train Luke.

Enjoy!

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><p><span>The True Nature Of The Force<span>

The hut in which they sat was small. Jedi Master Yoda, almost nine hundred years old, sat probing the young man before him. His green ears twitched slightly as he sensed what he had hoped would not be there in the boy. Anger. Just like his father.

"Train him, I cannot" he spoke with regret "Much anger in him…like his father" Luke's face showed shock, disappointment and confusion. The boy thought his father had been a Jedi, betrayed and murdered by Lord Darth Vader. A necessary lie to make sure he did not seek out his father, Yoda mused, to make sure he would hate and, eventually kill the man he believed was his father's killer.

Luke's protest was on the tip of his tongue but he could not voice it, he also could not understand why Yoda had said that. _"Much anger in him…like his father"_ What did he mean by that? His father was a Jedi…Wasn't he? Despite his lack of training he could sense something was wrong but could not figure out what.

"What do you mean?" Luke demanded "Like my father? But my father was a Jedi wasn't he?" Yoda just sighed sadly and began to turn away.

"Sorry I am, but train you I cannot" Luke's heart sank. Since Ben had told him his father had been a Jedi he had wanted to become one too, to make his deceased father proud. But now his dreams had been snatched from his grasp and he felt empty. Knowing that Yoda's mind was made up he just nodded and slowly half walked, half crawled across the room to the door. He took one last look around the tiny room before walking outside and silently closing the door behind him.

Luke muttered a thanks to Yoda, who had just lifted his X-wing out of the swamp with the force. It had almost completely sunk and there was no way _he_ could have got it out. Watching Yoda just made his longing to be a Jedi and, the despair at the fact that the last Jedi Master would not train him, grow.

"R2, prepare the ship" Luke ordered his loyal R2 unit. Hearing a series of beeps in affirmative Luke turned his attention back to Yoda. But he did not know what to say. R2 beeped again. Luke gave a small, sad smile.

"Thanks, R2" He briefly turned towards the little droid before turning back to the aging Jedi Master.

"Goodbye" He was not going to spare any words for the small green creature but he felt something was going to happen, something that would change his entire life. Somehow, he knew - he_ felt_ - he would not be back to seek training. He saw Yoda give a simple nod in regret and go back inside his hut.

"Why?" The outraged ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in Yoda's hut glaring at the small Master.

"Too much like his father, he is," Yoda replied, his voice full of regret. Kenobi raised his eyebrows, indicating he wanted more of an explanation than the one he had been given.

"Sensed that if trained him I did, then rush to duel Vader to save his friends, he would. Finding the truth in the process, Then join his father he would and lost, the Galaxy would be." Yoda sighed and moved closer to the window.

"But he won't elude Vader for long, Master, he'll be captured eventually and then…" Obi-Wan's voice trailed off, unable to voice the possibility of Luke turning.

"I think, the Galaxy had been lost for years. We just don't want to accept that as a fact." Obi-Wan concluded quietly. It was raining outside, a perfect reflection of the sadness, pain and confusion flowing clearly through the force.

Luke activated the com in his ship, changing it to the channel Han always left his on.

"Han? You there?"

"Hey Kid! It's good to hear you!"

"Likewise. Listen, Han, where are you heading?"

"Bespin. And I thought you had something to do?"

"Bespin, right"

Luke scrolled through the systems on his navigator until he found it.

"Ah, here it is - its not far from where I am now, I should be there soon."

"Luke what's wrong?" Luke cursed silently, he had hoped to avoid this.

"I'm fine Han, I'd rather not talk about it"

"Sure Kid. See you soon"

Luke turned off his com, ordered R2 to set a course for Bespin and put the ship on autopilot. He needed time to sort his thoughts out. He sighed, this was going to be a long trip.

Vader sat in the gloom of his personal quarters aboard his ship, which was secretly hidden in the underground docking bays of Cloud City. He abruptly opened his eyes, abandoning his meditation. His son was coming here. He did not need to use those 'friends' of his as bait to lure him here anymore. He smirked, his son was walking right into his welcoming embrace.

Luke expertly landed his X-wing on the landing pad. He smiled slightly, flying was the one thing that he was good at. A skill inherited from his father, he was told. He could see Han, Leia, Chewie and C-3PO standing with a man he didn't recognise. He climbed out of his X-wing and was met with Leia's warm embrace, then Han's. Luke felt as if his life had been turned upside down, being denied training, being denied his dream. But, he knew one thing - he would never be a Jedi. And meanwhile he was unaware of the voice inside his mind that whispered, so faintly that it was almost undetectable, that everything was about to change.

Vader gently probed his son's mind and was nearly overwhelmed by the strong feelings of shock, confusion, despair, sadness and anger that assaulted him. He wondered at these emotions - something was clearly bothering his son but he did not probe any further. He would let his boy tell him himself. He smirked again, it was time for him to claim the son Obi-Wan stole from him almost twenty two years ago. Vader, now seated in a room with a large, long table, activated his comm.

"Tell Calrissian, it is time"

Something was wrong. Luke was convinced of this as they were being led through corridors by Lando Calrissian, the administrator of Cloud City. Although being told they were going for refreshments he couldn't bring himself to believe the man.

"I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever"

Calrissian's words that could have lead Luke to confirmation that he was keeping a secret, were barely heard or processed by him, still deep in thought. They reached a door, Lando pushed a button on the controls. Something was…Vader! His eyes widened as he caught sight of the black armoured Sith Lord who had stood up upon their arrival. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Han pull out his blaster and fire at Darth Vader but, in response, he simply put his hand out in front of him, deflected the shots and yanked the blaster from Han's hands - with the Force, Luke realized. The blaster landed with an echoing clang at the Dark Lord's feet.

"We would be delighted if you would join us," His voice low and powerful as he gestured to the side where the Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett stepped out from behind the wall. It's over, something told him and Luke found himself taking one shaky step after the other into the room, his eyes never leaving the black clad man.

"Have a seat, Skywalker" He told his son and Vader watched him with pride as he approached him and took the seat which he had pushed out with the Force. The Princess, Smuggler and his companion were the next to come in. He waved a hand and Stormtroopers placed them all in binders.

"Take them to a cell" Vader ordered, dismissing them. He turned his attention to his son who was staring at the white table. He observed the Force potential his son held, almost as much as himself-

"NO! LUKE!" The scream from the Princess cut off his train of thought. He watched her pathetic struggle in the trooper's grip and he watched his son cast a glance at her in regret and apology.

"Now Skywalker," He began in his deep, powerful voice as the door shut "Tell me, what is wrong?"

Luke watched the door shut and felt his defiance leave with his friends. He should have known Vader was here, but how could he? Vader was more powerful with the Force than he could ever be. He heard the Dark Lord's question, was surprised by it. How did Vader know something was wrong? And, why did he care?

"Why do you care what's wrong?" He mumbled, so overwhelmed by sadness he was almost drowning in it.

"Of course, the Jedi never told you, did they?" Vader spoke although, it sounded more like he was talking to himself

"But then, why would they?" Luke was confused now.

"Told me what?" But Vader did not answer. Luke felt compelled to tell him about the Jedi, but in telling him he would reveal the last Jedi Master's hiding place and he couldn't do that…Could he?

"He said" His voice coming out as a whisper he cleared his throat, then tried again "He said," He was pleased to hear that it came out louder this time "I was too like my father, that I had too much anger like him, that he couldn't train me because of it. But I don't understand. I was told my father was a Jedi but if what he said was true he can't have been. Did they lie to me?" Luke couldn't believe that he was telling Darth Vader this, the man who betrayed and murdered his father. But…if the Jedi lied to him about his father, did they lie to him about how he died?

"Who said that?" Vader growled

"Yoda" Luke muttered

"Yoda! Where is he?" Vader demanded and, for a reason Luke couldn't fathom, he answered.

"Dagobah" He whispered. Lord Vader was silent, obviously considering this new and unwelcome information.

"What did he mean when he said I was too like my father?" Luke asked, he needed to know.

"Your father _was_ a Jedi but he saw the faults of the Jedi Order. He renounced the Jedi, changed his name when he joined the Sith" Luke stood up and walked to the window.

"But, you betrayed and murdered my father, didn't you?" Lord Vader remained seated.

"No"

"Then how did he die?"

"You are so sure he is dead?" Vader stood and walked over to Luke.

"He…He must be. I was…told…he was. But, it seems, all I have been told about my father…has been lies or half truths. He's not dead…is he?" He could feel it now, his father was alive! He had always dreamed of having a father. He felt Vader's gloved hand take his chin and gently tilt his head up until their eyes locked. He didn't pull away, he felt safe - if that were even possible - with this man. Despite the fact that Vader was the Rebellion's enemy.

"Search the Force, my boy, you will find what you wish to know." Vader's voice was now soft and commanding. Luke felt a burning desire to obey. He closed his eyes and attempted to reach for the Force as he had done that time aboard the Falcon. He felt a presence in his mind, it was Vader - that he was sure of. He stiffened slightly.

"_Do not worry, child. I will merely guide you." _Vader's voice echoed in his mind. He relaxed and followed Vader's guidance. It was weird, he did not know why he was trusting this man but his instincts told him that he could.

"_Use your anger, let it flow through you" _He did as Vader commanded and then reached for the Force again. He found it easier and he felt the Force was stronger than he remembered.

"_That is the Dark Side, boy. Much stronger than the light"_ Luke mentally nodded and went back to searching. Images flashed into view. Voices followed. A light brown, almost blonde haired man kneeling before a black robed man, two men duelling on a planet with lots of lava, a brown haired woman giving birth to a baby boy, he realised was him and the woman must have been his mother. He heard something about Anakin - his father, the name no longer held any meaning for him, his name was…Vader, Darth Vader.

Vader watched his son search the Force brilliantly for someone who had no training, even though he was guiding him. He sensed Luke had found what he was looking for and felt him slowly come back to himself. He felt Luke start to tremble slightly, he let go of the hold he had on his son's chin.

"Father…" he breathed

"Son" He pulled Luke into an embrace, pleased that his son returned the embrace and had not denied the truth nor been horrified by it. When Vader let go of his son, Luke looked at him.

"What now?" Luke asked

"Now" He repeated "I will train you" He watched Luke's eyes light up "In the true nature of the Force, In the ways of the Dark Side."

His father would teach him what the Jedi would not, and more. He had accepted that the Jedi did not want him - the son of a Sith Lord, but he didn't care. His father wanted him. He made a vow to himself then, that he would serve his father to the best of his ability. And he knew that his father would hear his vow as he spoke it inside his mind. Luke nodded and stepped back before dropping to one knee before his father. He spoke the words which he had heard in his search of the Force.

"I pledge myself to your teachings, Master" Vader smirked behind his mask as he gazed down at the kneeling form of his son.

"Good" Vader praised "Rise, my son, Luke Vader" Luke felt his father wrap him in a Dark Force blanket and silently command him to let the Dark Side flood his entire being. He obeyed, rising to his feet as he did so. He could feel the Dark power coursing through him, it felt good, right. Luke looked at his father and his eyes flashed a deep shade of yellow before turning back to ice blue.

TBC...

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><p>I was going to post the whole story as one chapter but in the end I decided not to.<p>

The next chapter should be posted soon, depends if I can decide where I want it to go. Please review, to let me know what you think!


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